Golden Memories & Glocks
by AFY2018
Summary: "It would be a what-if/canon-divergence where Root doesn't get killed off." -H.R.C. Stanley
1. Chapter 1

Root wished she had kissed Sam. She wished she had hugged her- but Sameen would have pushed her away. There were many things she wished she had done before they parted ways. As their war seemingly came to a bloody end, Root thought of things she hadn't thought about since her first contact with Harold's creation. One thing Root didn't know was how the Machine knew everything, but she also really didn't have time to think about it; that day was just one surprise after another.

After parting ways with Sameen, she had to look after Finch and get him to where he was needed next. Root really did not want to leave Sam; not again, especially in another firefight, but whatever the Machine wanted Root was compelled to follow.

After racing away from the compiled enemies set upon them by their favorite opponent - Samaritan-, the Machine sent them down the hidden path; the only safe route for their dying AI. Root remembered the beeping that interrupted the previous message from the Machine. She warned her about a split second decision to save Harold. Root dodged in front of her bespectacled friend, swerving the car for extra measure. There was a crash from the now spider cracked windshield and a short THUNK as the bullet cut through the passenger door and out of the car.

Before she could even comprehend what had just happened, Root glanced at herself, relieved until a large stain began to spread across her stomach. Next was the sharp pain from her insides being torn from the bullet that had gouged through her abdomen. It felt like an unimaginable searing wound - even when compared to the caged surgery by Control and getting shot in the shoulder by Shaw - that poured through her nerves and made her muscles simultaneously weaken and tense up. It was all a blur as blood soaked her once pristine shirt with every furious pump of her panicked heart. She felt a deep set alarm wash over her as dark spots popped in her vision, clouding her eyes and turning the world into a washed out smear of blacks and dull colors. A cold sweat broke out over her forehead; her grip loosened on the wheel and her body shook and shivered. Harold grabbed at her, but he was being pulled away. She swayed her head to glance at him as hands and fingers prodded her. The medics forced her head back to the center and shined a light in her eyes. They pressed against her wrist and throat with their gloved fingers.

Everything flashed to black as a finger pressed into her abdomen. A streak of torturous pain electrocuted her spine, forcing her into the dark.

Now her abdomen hurt more than ever. She just wanted to stab herself to remove whatever it was to relieve her pain. Her eyes slowly opened to a bright world. She seethed and sat up a bit, collapsing back into the thin pillow. Root glanced around the pristine white and light grey room. She must have been in a hospital. She really hated this place, even at first glance; Root despised hospitals so much that she thought she actually hated them more than Martine.

She looked around the room, spotting a tan brunette resting her torso on the bed while she sat uncomfortably slumped over in the armchair. Her sleek hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail. Root pushed the stray strands back from Shaw's face, tenderly tucking them behind her ear.

Root forgot just how beautiful Sameen looked when she slept. Her features were soft and vulnerable, yet she still looked beautiful and strong; almost untouchable. Root smiled and continued to brush her hair from her face, threading her fingers through her scalp until Sameen's eyes fluttered open. She stretched and looked up at Root. Her face was neutral but her eyes were worried.

"Hey," She yawned.

"Good morning, Sameen." Root smiled back.

"How are you feeling?"

"Wow, what's this caring thing about?"

"I…" Shaw began, looking down. "I'm not going to brush this aside." Root placed her hand on Sam's jaw, tilting her head back up. "I was really worried about you. When John got the call that you were badly injured, I thought I would have to say goodbye to you. Or that I'd be too late to say it."

"Sameen." Root whispered, stroking her jaw.

"I just…" Shaw began, letting out a short sigh, "I was scared for you."

Root nodded and took Shaw's hand, pressing it against her lips. Sameen watched her, feeling an apprehensive ball work its way into the pit of her stomach as she spotted tears in Root's eyes.

"I need to go help Finch and John." She whispered, getting up. "Get better, Samantha."

Sameen went to the restroom before going to help the others. As she looked in the mirror, Shaw realized that she was crying; red tracks trickled down her face. Sameen grabbed a paper towel to soak in the frozen water from the faucet and pressed it against her face. She didn't know why she was crying - or why Root caused it - but now Sameen was in a restroom crying over something good. Shaw quickly wiped away her tears and left to help John and Harold. When she turned on her earpiece, she heard Fusco first.

"Hey, how is she?" He asked.

"Lionel, ugh, who let him on?"

"Nice to hear you too, Princess."

"Call me Princess again, I dare you." She joked.

"Just tell us how she is."

"She's in a lot of pain, she didn't say, but I could tell. She'll be okay. Anyway, where do you need me?"

They were lost too soon; the two people Root cared about almost as much as she cared about Sameen were gone and now it was just the three of them. Shaw was getting Bear from Fusco, who was now leaving to take care of his family. Root had placed a deposit of $90 a day to feed into his bank account and placed similar amounts to go to herself and Sameen.

Though that was the future, Root was now focused on the past as she gazed down at her friend's gravestone. She crouched down and placed a bouquet of flowers on his grave. The white blue and red petals brightened up the still fresh granite that carried his engraved name, this time with his actual date of death on it.

"How touching." She heard Sameen say.

"I can't believe he's gone." Root sighed, getting back up and shoving her hands in her pockets.

Shaw snaked her arm around Root's waist and nodded. "I did bring a friend."

Root turned to look at the dog and knelt down, stroking his back. "Hey, Bear."

The dog licked her cheek and rested his head against her shoulder. Root continued to pet him, wrapping her arms around his warm body. She began to cry softly, realizing that she'd never get to see her closest friend again. Shaw knelt down with her and placed her hand on her back. Root let out a shuddering sigh and got up. Wiping some tears from her girlfriend's cheek, Sameen kissed her jaw and began to meander to John's grave in the veterans section.

"You know, I was almost buried here," Shaw confessed.

"You technically were."

"No, I meant before that." She began, earning a quizzical look from Root. "Once I left the army, I had no one. My parents were dead and my other family was now seen as the enemy here. I was seen as the enemy here. I was poor and living with 5 other people in a tiny apartment in the Bronx. I was so scared, more scared than when I was getting shot at by terrorists. With night terrors and slight PTSD, I thought I would go insane," Shaw explained as they came upon Reese's grave. "I was so close to pulling the trigger so I wouldn't have to deal with that kind of life."

"What changed your mind?"

"Control and the government."

"Oh."

"They distracted me and saved me from myself. As much as I hate Control, I have to thank her for allowing me to be here today." Shaw explained. She unhooked Bear's leash as she watched him sniff and poke at John's grave, resting in front of it. Shaw felt herself getting emotional- even with her limited range-, but tried to hide it. "We are the survivors of a war only we will remember."

"At least I'm not alone." Root smiled. After another few moments of silence passed, she asked, "So, what now?"

"I don't know."

"We really should talk about it."

"I know." They glanced at one another for a moment before Shaw continued. "I guess we should still hide, at least for a year while all of this calms down. I honestly thought we'd all be in the ground, but surviving has really changed my plan."

"Would we have been buried together?" Root joked.

"I don't know, probably." She shrugged, walking back to their car. "What else should we plan for?"

"A new place to live maybe?"

"Like where?"

"Somewhere safer. I was thinking out of state."

"West coast, because I will not live in the South or the Midwest."

"I agree. Gay doesn't really fly there the same way it does on the coast."

"So where were you thinking?"

"Honestly, California." Root suggested, opening Shaw's door.

"California?"

"If we move to Silicon Valley, I could probably get a job?"

"What about your resume?"

"I could hack my identity like old times?"

Shaw smirked and buckled up as Root drove to the old protected apartment.

"Maybe, but California is extremely expensive and our 180 bucks a day isn't enough. And to be honest, I really like it here."

"Really?"

"I also know that we need to watch over Fusco. We owe it to him after dragging him into this mess, and I think he'll need friends."

"I thought you didn't like him?"

"He's annoying, but he's grown on me. Besides, we do need to watch him and any old enemies who try to come after us."

"Now that we've won, there's somewhere I've always wanted to go."

"Where?"

"Saint Barts."

"Saint Barts? Yeah, why not. Maybe after a while, you know, lay low for now."

"Of course." Root smiled, "I'll see what the Machine wants us to do."

"Tell her I do not want to work in a fucking mall again."


	2. Chapter 2

[A Year and a Half Later]

Sameen closed the front door behind herself as she carried in the groceries. This really was the highlight of her weekend. After becoming a paramedic once more, the days were long and tiring. She used her time with Bear and Root to distract from the emotional roller coaster that was work.

Bear raced from the bedroom to Shaw in a breath, his tongue falling from the left side of his mouth as he waited patiently for Sameen to react.

"What're you lookin' at buddy?" She asked in a playful tone. Bear yelped in response. "You know what to do. Maak je klaar, Bear."

Bear jumped back from his sitting position and grabbed his leash and harness from their spot in the closet. His brown eyes watched Shaw as she emptied out the bags. Once she placed the bags in their usual spot, Sameen turned back to him and asked;

"Laten we gaan, Bear!" She laughed.

Bear jumped around as she put on his harness and hooked the leash. He followed Shaw as she grabbed her phone and began down to the Fusco's new house. They went to the end of the hall where the elevator was and waited for the doors to open. As Sameen looked down at Bear, she watched his patient and careful movements, waiting for his next command just like he was trained to. Just like he waited for Harold or John's commands. She always loved how much he didn't listen to Fusco, though. He never listened to him, mainly because Lionel never bothered to learn Dutch like the rest of them had. He still needed that stupid Dutch to English book.

The doors opened to reveal Root. She had on her current persona "Vinh Grayce Cerf" which required her to wear a pair of fake glasses. Shaw had to admit that the glasses really suited her and allowed Shaw to last a bit longer with her bad puns and poorly timed lines.

"How's it going, Sweetie?" She asked striding out of the elevator. Root pulled her glasses off and tucked them into her breast pocket.

"Good, just handing Bear off to Lionel."

"You taking my car?"

"No, walking. It'll tire him out enough for Fusco."

"You're just a little ball of energy aren't you?" She asked, kneeling down to play with him. Bear licked her cheek before tugging Shaw into the elevator. "I think he wants to go."

"Yeah. See you in about forty-five minutes."

"Okay. I'll be here, then."

"Good because I have a little surprise for you." She smirked, pecking her cheek before taking the elevator down.

Root turned on her heels and walked to their flat. She was kind of surprised at how easily they were able to acclimate to their new roles in life. Even with Shaw not liking her new job - but what could replace her favorite pastime - they lived a more than comfortable life with Bear in their apartment.

She walked into their home up on the 6th floor and tossed her bag onto their bed. Root swung back out of the room and to the living room where her desk was. She looked at the old cane Harold once relied on when they first met. He always brought it to their Headquarters; maybe it was a nervous tick of his because they all knew he didn't use it for most of their time together. Now he really didn't need it. Root wondered if he was still hobbling around, not that she believed in heaven, but she still wondered how he was doing. She shook herself from the thought; the subject made her too sad.

Root instead got up from her desk and back to their room. She glanced at the abstract gold, brown and teal painting that stared at her when she walked in. On Shaw's nightstand was a framed picture of her on shore leave with her fellow graduates and her ring. They rested there, untouched since they moved in. The dust had settled on the ring, but the photo always looked perfect; even the frame was in pristine condition. She crawled across the cheap sheets and looked at the photograph. Sameen's hat was pulled over her right eye and she was laughing as two other boys had her on their shoulders. The Persian boy was looking at the photographer while the other brown haired boy was looking up at her.

Root picked up the photograph and studied it more, the way Sameen smiled, it was almost genuine, almost. She set it back down and turned to face the ceiling. Root looked over at her bedside table. There wasn't anything on her side except her alarm clock and a card Sameen had given her the anniversary of The End. She reached over for it and reread it for the twenty-third time.

"The Root of My Problems,

I know it seems out of character for me, but Lionel said that I should write down how I feel. It's been a year since we survived, and I honestly thought we would all be dead. Having had this time to see the normal world, I know that we saved it. Well, you saved it. You saved me. I'm in your debt, really. I love you. You're the only person I care about, even if I couldn't really show it while we were fighting, I couldn't bear to see you get hurt. When I thought I had lost you, I actually felt scared.

This was a really shitty card. Sorry.  
Happy Anniversary, Sam."

~~~~~~~~~~

Sameen walked back into the apartment, suspicious when the rooms were dark. A flash of panic settled in the pit of her stomach as she grabbed a butcher knife from the cutting block and opened the small rooms, checking for anything off. Once she got to her room, she spotted Root passed out on the bed. Shaw sighed and replaced the knife, turning on a few lights before creeping into the master bedroom and crawling up behind Root to gently wake her. Root turned around to face Shaw and let out a quiet breath.

"So, on the subject of the surprise." Shaw began, getting back up and walking to their closet.

She slid open the door and pulled out a dark blue and silver Asics shoe box. Sam flicked the lid open and walked back to the bed, sliding next to Root. She pulled out a white envelope that had the tongue tucked in rather than sealed and handed it to her girlfriend.

"Open it."

Root took it and slid it open, pulling out two plane tickets. She turned them to the side and read the destination, "ST. BARTS; MAY 22, 2017 1:45 PM". She looked at Shaw, shaking her head.

"You're kidding, right?"

"Nope. Not at all."

"Oh my god!" She laughed, lunging over to hug, Shaw.

Sameen took the tickets from her hand and placed them back into the envelope and then the box as Root clung to her. She pulled out of Root's grasp and pecked her cheek.

"I've already called in my vacation days for next week."

"Oh, yeah, let me get that settled." Root smiled, grabbing her phone to call up their shift manager.

Shaw got up and put the box back in the closet. She walked to the kitchen and began to prepare dinner while Root talked on the phone. She pulled out the ingredients to their meal and started the barberry rice. Sameen glanced as Root continued talking on the phone, standing across her at the counter. She watched as Sameen began mixing the rice in a bowl with a few spices and herbs. She began to prepare the other ingredients, chopping up the onions and slicing open the package for mushrooms and took out a frozen bag of ground beef from the freezer.

Root ended the call and continued to watch her.

"Good thing I'm Jamie's favorite or I might not have gotten time off." She smirked.

Shaw set down the knife and took out a large potato from the glass bowl that also held a few oranges and pears. She cut it into thick slices before setting it in the bottom of the crockpot before setting the seasoned rice in as well.

"Anything I can help with?" Root asked.

"Oh yeah, can you heat up the beef for… a minute?"

"Sure." She nodded, setting the bag in the microwave. "So, what's this gonna be?"

"Some old recipes from my mom."

"Really?"

"Yeah." She nodded, sitting back as she waited for the rice to finish up. "Börek and Zereshk Polow."

"I don't know what those are." Root said as she took the bag out of the microwave and handed it to Sameen.

"Zereshk Polow is basically a Barberry Rice dish."

"What's that?"

"On the counter are barberries, they're common in Iran." She explained, pointing at the bag by the sink. "Börek is a wrap with beef, rice, onions, and spices. Can you beat these eggs?" Shaw asked handing her a bowl with a whisk.

"Yeah. So, how often would she make this?"

"Pretty often, I mean, it's not that expensive to make, so this was pretty normal to have."

Shaw began the saffron rice, waiting for the crockpot to go off before she split up the rice and set aside the rest of the ingredients.

"It's kinda nice to cook."

"Good thing we've been doing this for almost two years. Didn't your parents ever teach you how to cook?"

"Of course. I grew up in a fairly stereotypical southern house. We went to church like every other normal person in town on Sunday and after service, we'd go to my grandma's house and eat with everyone else."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"After you left, did you continue to study the Good Book?" Shaw asked setting up the wraps.

"Well, I stopped when I was in high school. After that, I found other things to be interested in."

"Like what?"

"Like girls and computers."

"Sometimes I forget you're gay."

"Really? We're dating?"

"I know, I just forget that sometimes not everyone's bi."

"Fair enough," Root sighed, "but you're still mine." She growled in her ear as she hooked her arms around Sam's waist.

"Hey, Root… do you ever miss working for the Machine?" Sam warily inquired.

She thought for a moment before pulling away. "I do… and don't. I miss hearing her in my ear, but I would trade that for knowing you'd be safe."

"I just… I was just curious." Sam shrugged, pulling the potatoes out of the pot.

"I know you miss it, Sam, you don't have to pretend, but isn't this better?"

"It's safer, but I feel like we're not doing anything worthwhile anymore."

Root shrugged sitting on the opposite side of the bar, "I think that this is an important step in our lives. I mean, we can't do that forever, all of the running and the fighting. It's a lot of stress."

"I know, but I just-"

"You miss it. I know… so do I." She confessed.

Sam finished the first part of their meal and plated the wraps before turning her focus on the next part of their dinner.

"It's all I know," Sameen told her as she plated the mound of saffron rice, stuck the potato slices against it, finishing with a pile of half of the barberries.

Root took the plate and placed it on the table. "If I ever hear from the machine, I'll tell you."


	3. Chapter 3

Root always passed out on trips. She, unlike Shaw, slept with great ease in noisy areas; she was really good at it. On this long ride, Root slept in her seat next to Shaw, her headphones in both ears, even though she couldn't hear out of her right ear, she kept it in- only hearing muffled music. Shaw watched her calm eyes dart around under her lids while she slept before tearing her gaze back down to her book, an old dark fiction novel Reese had gifted her. As much as she had wanted a new mod to one of her weapons, now that Shaw had time to read, she found that this was actually a book she enjoyed.

Sameen closed the book, sliding in the bookmark before closing her eyes. The small dings and distant crying of an infant made it too difficult to really sleep, he Shaw practiced relaxing her body. It was something Root had tried to teach her and only potentially succeeded in doing.

Root opened her eyes, glancing at Shaw, and tipped her head against her shoulder. She looked down as Sameen reached over to hold her hand. It surprised her sometimes when Shaw chose to publicly show any sort of affection.

"God, I just want to collapse," Root huffed as she tossed her bag on the ground.

She fell onto the bed, making room for Sam too. Shaw slid over next to her, helping with her jacket. Root smirked and propped herself up on her elbows.

"So, will you be serving me for the entire trip?"

"Nope, that was your only voucher," Shaw joked as she placed Root's leather jacket on the sandy coloured sofa.

Root sat up and waited for her to turn around before kissing her. "Thank you so much, Sam."

"I'm glad that you're enjoying it this much without even leaving the room."

"As much as I'd love to just stay in here and mess around, I do actually want to explore St. Barts."

"Good, because this would've been a long distance to travel just to bone," Shaw blatantly murmured.

Root chuckled and pulled Shaw back onto the bed. "But maybe tonight, sweetie?"

"Yeah, Root, maybe tonight," Sam nodded, a low purring chuckled rolling in her chest.

"I thought you wanted to explore St. Barts, Root?" Sameen huffed, drinking from her bottle of water.

Root glared up at Sam, rolling her eyes as she held on tightly to her backpack. "I didn't mean a long hike, babe."

"You can chase down Decima and Samaritan agents in heels-"

"But long hikes, no. I can't do that."

"I know you can, come on it's just a bit longer."

"That's what you said, 3 miles ago."

Sameen nodded and went back down to her, "I promise the hike is worth it, Root," She begged, pouting.

"Oh, my god, you know I can't resist your puppy dog face," Root nodded, punctuating her statement with a quick peck.

She tightened the straps of her backpack and followed Shaw- who began walking at a slower pace- as they scaled up the mountain. Root hopped up next to Shaw, following the beaten path through the trees and bushes while the sun began to set.

"This is fun," Root added to the conversation, "I'm just more of a nerd, you know."

"I do know, that's why I'm with you."

"You're into nerds?"

"I like people who aren't like me."

Root nodded with a slight smile and chuckled, "I love you, too."

"Wait," Sam interrupted, grabbing Root's arm.

"What is it?" Root asked in a hushed tone.

"Do you not hear that?"

"I'm a bit deaf, so, no."

"It's… it's like a high pitched beeping."

"Beeping?"

"Yeah."

"You sure?"

"Yes."

"Is there a pattern?"

"I can't tell," Sam whispered, continuing up the mountain.

"Are you sure you're not just hearing things, sweetie?"

"Maybe I am." She shrugged as the trudged up the last 500 yards.

Root followed her, listening closely for the beeping, but failing to hear anything that wasn't from the island's inhabitants or the whipping windy air. It took a while, but after a few more minutes, they scaled the mountain to its peak, a beautiful vantage point for St. Barts.

Sam leaned up against a tree, drinking from her water bottle again and looking out across the beautiful warm ocean that reflected the deep orange-red and warm yellows that marked the setting sun. She turned her head, looking back behind her to see the dark night that crept at their backs in aquamarine and deep indigo. Shaw looked at Root's silhouette as she gazed over the wooden gate. She tipped her head to the side as she watched her set her bag down and sit on a bench. Shaw joined her, slumping down against her shoulder.

"Worth the long walk," Root admitted with a content sigh.

"Yup," Sam nodded, unzipping her bag and pulling out two bars. "Here."

"Thanks."

They looked over the island, surrounded by nothing but nature, the beauty of silence seeming to get to Root as she rested against her girlfriend. She looked up at Shaw and kissed her, smirking as she felt Shaw lean into her.

"Thank you for the trip," she whispered against her lips.

Sara pecked her gently and shrugged, leaning back, "Thanks for surviving."

Root glanced at her, looking as Shaw's eyes looked around them. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, nothing. I just…" Shaw let out a small sigh, "You just make me nervous, and I just don't know how to handle it."

"What's wrong?" She repeated. Shaw shoved her hands in her pockets and stood up. "Look, I know it's been two years without the action we used to have, but this is safer. Until we get a notice from-"

"That's not it, babe."

"What?" Root asked cautiously, feeling her heart rate increase. Shaw knelt on the ground, resting her hands on Roots knees. "Not in public," She shakily joked.

"Root, you know that's not what I'm doing."

Root nodded, trying to keep herself composed as Sameen pulled out a small box from her pocket. She cracked it open with a small strained creak to reveal a necklace designed with an odd piece in the middle, enclosed in resign and speckled in gold, with black metal around it on a burnt silver chain. Root instantly pulled Shaw in close, wrapping her hands around the back of her girlfriend's neck and kissing her. She smirked as she felt Sameen slide her hands up the insides of her legs, sliding a bit closer.

"So-"

"Yes!" Root exclaimed as Shaw hooked the necklace around her neck.

Root looked down at the necklace, cocking her head to the side as she looked down at the piece in the center of her new jewelry.

"What is this?"

"It's one of the only surviving pieces from the original motherboard of the Machine."

"What?" Root asked, "how'd you get it?"

"Harold had some pieces from the library's version of the machine he scavenged to protect us. I guess he kept it as a totem for the past because once we moved into the subway, we didn't need these anymore."

Root nodded and looked down at the pendant again, "This is… I have no words for just how sweet this is, Sam, thank you."

Sameen shrugged and nodded, "I thought you'd want something a bit closer to your heart." Root glanced at her necklace and nodded with a slight shrug. "Don't act like you didn't know how important this was to me, Shaw." She pulled her back in for another kiss, tightening her legs around Sameen's body.


End file.
